Star sat with Kai the entire afternoon, constantly monitoring the knights' heartbeat and Qi. One simple miscalculation could lead to Kais' demise, Star grimaced, and I'll prefer keeping my best friend intact, thank you very much Satan.
"Should I be amused by the fact that you are so sure that she will go to hell instead of heaven?" Sky snorted, entering the room holding a small bucket half-filled with cold water and two towels. "Or should I be afraid that you assume everyone goes to hell?"
Star only gave him a half amused smile, leaning back on the chair she was sitting on, "I don't assume everyone goes to hell Sky, or else, there won't be any meaning in heaven and hell." Not that I really believe they exist in the first place. "Did you read my mind again?"
Sky laughed, putting down the bucket and pulling another wooden chair from the corner in Kais' room. "Nope, you were talking out loud, dummy." Was I?
"Yup, still are."
Offering the prince a glare, Star sighed and crossed her arms, going back to glancing at Kai every now and then to make sure she wasn't burning up or about to explode. Deaths caused by aura outbursts usually result in a gruesome, bloody, explosion. So I would really prefer if I can keep Kais' insides from overloading and exploding.
"What do you think made her this desperate?"
"I don't know, Sky." Studying Kais' facial features, Star could only think.. You didn't change much compared to before, Kai… your personality hasn't at least. "I miss the old times."
She didn't look at Sky, but by hearing the rustling sound on her right, she could tell that Sky was nodding. "Mhm, I wish we could just go…back, you know?" I do. "Back to when we don't have responsibilities, back to when mom was still proud of me and my siblings, back to…when all we have to worry about was getting caught eating desserts from the kitchen. I miss these times." So do I.
They didn't say anything else for a while after that, both of them rewinding the time mentally, going back to the golden times, when nothing hurts. How did it all go wrong, I wonder?
"It…it all started on that night didn't it?" Sky started, voice cracking a bit before he steadily continued on, "The night her father told her to serve me, and give up her friendship with Lumiere."
"...Yea, I think so too." Star sighed. The four of us used to be inseparable, but it all went south on that day…
Ten years ago------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ahahaha! Gotcha!" Two children rolled around in the muddy grounds of the training yard near the forest.
"Wha- you're cheating!" The one pinned on the bottom yelled, flailing around in an attempt to get the winner off him to no avail. "Kai! Ger'off!"
Kai cackled, her face smugger than the Cheshire cat as she sat on Sky's back, pinning down his limbs and dirtying the princes' clothes, expensive ones at that. "Try all you want Rexy, nothing can save you from the Demonic Wolf!"
Delivering her infamous line, Kai continued to laugh harder than ever as Sky grunted in response, rolling his eyes as he scoffed at Kai's attempt at being intimidating.
"I yeil-" He started, anything to get her off me,he grunted, admitting defeat was not something that came easy to him.
"GET OFF HIM KAI D'SILVA!"
Both of them flinched, obeying the voice's orders, with Kai jumping off Sky's back and helping the prince brush off the dirt on his garments, which…was not really helping, but at least they tried…right?
A man stormed up to them, a dark and stormy expression on his face as he marched up to the two children with escort guards trailing behind him. Bloody hell.
"Care to explain yourselves hmm? Children." He looked down on the two, dark eyes filled with a scary fiery gaze that froze the two seven year olds. Kai could only stare somewhat at his chin, not daring to meet his eyes, as she fiddled with the helm of her tunic, something she does when she feels ashamed or scared. It's a bad habit I know. Father told me that it'll make me defenseless and further agitate enemies.
Glancing sideways at Sky, she saw that he was doing the same, only that he was biting his tongue, something that won't be easily noticeable, but after years of playing together with him, Kai thought, it's very obvious.
"I- We were playing, father." Sky stammered, his former defiance long gone, his voice threatening to fail him in the stone presence of his father, General of the first division- Aster Tatsuki. And, Kai gulped, the husband of Crown Princess Sakura.
Aster didn't acknowledge his son's answer, instead looking at Kai and narrowing his eyes. Uh oh.
"What were you doing, Kai D'silva?" He growled, his eyes dark and hand on the hilt of his sword, moments before pulling it out and doing god knows what, cause I know for a fact that the guards behind him won't do anything to stop him even if he cuts off my arm.
Trying her best to stand up straight even under the suffocating aura the man is giving off, Kai steadied her voice and opened her mouth, racking her brain for a sentence that would have the highest chance to ensure her survival. Mister Aster is a person that hates weak people so-
Kai grinned, well, as best as she could while standing before the general. I really hope I'm taking the right risk. "Oho?" Aster frowned, his left eye twitching at the bold move Kai pulled, "Seems that you don't value your life that much, D'silva."
"No sir." Kai started, keep your voice calm and even, Kai. "I was just thinking, aren't you happy that the prince is battling an opponent worthy of his caliber? Not to mention that we are of the same age," Aster raised his eyebrows, signalling that he was interested in how the sentence was going. Kai shakily raised her hand and pointed a finger at herself before finishing her sentence. "He can learn to surpass even me, making him one of the strongest in our generation. But most importantly, Sir-" The finishing blow.
"Isn't it amusing to see the prince, a person born to rule and fight, lose to the mere child of a general?"
What will you do, Mister Aster?
One second passed, then two, then-
"AHAHAHAHA!"
Kai and Sky both flinched as Aster keeled from laughing too hard, the guards behind him showing the same baffled expression as the two children. D-did it work? Kai thought, starting to tug at the helms of her tunic again, Or…. She gulped, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks as the mere thought haunted her. Will this be the last day I live?
"How amusing." Aster grinned, his hand, once initially resting on the hilt of his sword, now rose to point at Kai. "You, I will keep an eye on you." His voice deepened as he infused more aura around his body, successfully further intimidating the four people around him.
Kai stood straight and looked him in the eye, a complete contrast to the shivering Sky next to her, even though I really just want to go home and forget about Mister Aster, I have to do this, it's do or die. She smiled.
Quite literally.
"Yes sir. I'll keep that in mind."
Later that day…
Kai flumped on her bed with a sigh, having changed her clothes and placed the muddy pieces of clothing into the basket dedicated to dirty laundry.
That was terrifying.
Shivering as chills settled in, Kai glanced at the open window featuring the brilliant bright blue sky outside, I wonder how Sky is doing right now, She sighed, Poor Rexy, I really don't like the thought of having to leave him with Mister Aster.